Plasmon resonance-based solid-state photovoltaic devices

Abstract

Plasmon resonance-based solid-state photovoltaic cells were fabricated with the TiO2 electron transport layer, gold nanoparticles as the visible light sensitizer and an organic or inorganic hole transport layer. The devices showed prompt, reproducible photocurrent and photovoltage responses during periodical visible light illumination. The action spectra for the photocurrent and photovoltage closely matched the absorption spectrum of the gold nanoparticles, indicating that the observed photoresponses arose from light absorption of the gold nanoparticles. The cell performances depended on the hole mobility of the hole transport layer. The largest photocurrent and photovoltage were recorded when CuI was used as the hole transport material.